De Havilland Beaver Walkaround

Russell Armstrong takes us on a detailed walkaround tour of his beautiful Dehavilland Beaver. This is one very impressive STOL aircraft. Not to mention that it has a radial engine which is way cool right there.

[@stumaclean111]

Very nice tribute to your Dad. Awesome plane too!

[@philsales342]

I was so fortunate as to have the Beaver be my first airplane to work on in the USAF, at Osan Korea,1966. The large back doors had quick disconnect hinges for removal, so they were occasionally used as a jump airplane. Nice ,flip-over yolk. Beautiful plane. It deserves all the pride Russ exhibits .

[@Cptstokes]

Same here in the Army in 1968. Mine was brandy new I also flew the jump team in Germany besides being an air taxi. I like what the bush pilots wanted, a pick up truck with wings! It was that

[@bazangelopoulos]

Great walk around by a person who loves his plane.

[@betaenterprises2840]

It was called an l-20 in Korea during the war.

[@rossilake218]

I have flown on many Beavers and Otters. My take-away is, these Airplanes are built like a brick S House. They made them to last a thousand years. Beautiful Airplane!

[@nesvarog14]

Thanks a lot, For such a gracious tour of your De Havilland Beaver. It really is a fantastic aircraft, very well designed and very suitable for upgrades. Thank you again very much for your kindness in making this video. Please stay safe.

[@tickedoffsheikh8587]

Russell is a gentleman pilot. He explained in such details the aircraft's systems. Love this video. Regards from Guyana.

[@mogumogu3686]

The greatest aircraft ever built....just beautiful.

[@wdoxsee]

Great video! Clear, concise, informative and interesting narration. And thanks also for not including the annoying "music" track that many find necessary. We in Canada are very proud of the Beaver and I'm glad this one found a good home in Texas.

[@tonytees7577]

Thank you for this. I live in Northern Ontario, Canada. We went on a fly-in fishing trip last summer and flew in with a Beaver...now I'm hooked. This video was very well made. Thanks again. Tony

[@laurent3805]

Thx for all those precious informations and feedbacks , it’s nice to see that this kind of piece of history is still in good hands ❤ Cheers from France

[@ErikJohnston]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stuartgarfatth1448]

In every shape and form, this is a De Havilland Beaver owners 'live' handbook. Very well done sir!.

[@bennydelph987]

It does do my heart well to have listened to your story and take the walk around with you. as a pilot myself, you have done a great job of it. Anyone paying attention could fallow all the instructions Clear and precise. Thank you from a fellow aviator RETIRED

[@RobertSeviour1]

Excellent video! I know Beavers from Vancouver BC and Atlin Lake in northern BC. A Beaver used to take off with a great roar early mornings from the lake and disappear into the low ceiling clouds, with me wondering how the pilot was going to stay clear of the surrounding mountains. Great to get a tour of the controls and instruments. Thanks.

[@mistermac4118]

Thank you for a great and detailed review of a wonderful airplane. As a Canadian and a Supercub pilot I have a big love for the Beaver. You did a great job explaining all the mods. Thank you!

[@MisteriosGloriosos922]

Amazing walk around. That's your impression!

[@ronniejaye1]

These were built in my hometown and alot of my aunts and uncles built those. They were simply amazing at the stuff they'll do and how nearly indestructible they are. We also built the Otters and twin Otters.

[@TraneFrancks]

This was just ridiculously cool. Back in the early '70s as a kid in Northern Ontario (South Porcupine), I used to watch Beavers and Otters fly in and out of the aerodrome on the lake. I've never seen a cockpit till today. Thank you SO much for this!

[@ErikJohnston]

Trane Francks your very welcome! I’m glad you liked it!!

[@stevenjackson8205]

Mr Armstrong, and Johnston, great videos, thank you so much, for taking the time to share your great plane with us.

[@paulkelly1580]

Russell your walk around of the Beaver took me back to 1963! When the Queen allowed me to fly one of her Beavers in Malaysia. We used to land on a 1 in 10 up slope LOL but it tells you a lot about the Beaver. Excellent Video as well.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Fascinating! Just a delightful, outstanding tour of this classic aircraft. 💛🙏🏼

[@johnstorring8834]

My wife and I, both retired pilots, flew beaver no.1, C-FFHB, originally FBX, now in the Aviation Museum in Ottawa. Was working for NorCanAir in Laronge Sask.

[@abiez]

Guy knows his shit!!! Talk about passion!!!

[@brianm9223]

Cant understand why this video got 6 dislikes because this was an awesome 30 min clip of one of the most famous planes ever made. thanks for sharing!

[@Bill23799]

haha. It seems to me from some of the comments that some people feel he is forcing this Canadian built plane to live in the sultry climate in Texas instead of the cold windy land where it was born. Come on folks.....it's not like he stole a baby chimp from it's Mum in the jungle here. If that Beaver could talk it would say it knows it is loved and that it never really liked the cold anyhow.

[@tomcummin6801]

Cirrus pilots. They have parachutes, it must be a awkward realising that De Havilland Canada beat em to the concept by decades, except they called them flaps. :) Sorry boys and girls just kidding you. Love you really. Truly, I do. Fly safe all, smooth tailwinds.

[@robertcmcnamara]

Yeah you shouldn't try to look into these things. 26 dislikes as of April 2019 and the like/dislike ratio of this video is pretty favourabl, compared to others. Some people are tools...maybe they didn't like his shirt or something equally mundane.

[@clayz1]

Thumbs down are probably kids looking for a music video.

[@TomLongusa]

ClayZ No...probably looking for a brown, furry, big tailed, sharp toothed,...rodent.

[@markauble3928]

Great video! Thank you for posting. Glad you were able to register the plane in honor of your Dad.

[@woodey028]

Great video. Great tribute to your late Father 🙏 God bless.

[@stevevassallo4323]

Working up in remote First Nations communities in Ontario I used to love watching these birds used to bring in hundreds of pounds of moose, caribou and fish in from the wilds every summer. Loved to hear that very particular sound every morning during those twenty hours of summer daylight That’s a true air truck there.

[@user-mt4zr5kp7h]

My all time favourite plane. What a great tour! Thank you ☺

[@jerrymckenna2600]

Russell you make everything very clear & easy to understand - great video & great plane. Thanks & wish you all good weather.

[@moonshinexxx420]

Thank you for sharing your plane and a very well detailed walk through.

[@Tommy98406]

Great plane Russ. I remember flying my first Beaver in the 60's in the Washington State Army Guard. Ft Lewis, WA. They only had wheels. We had an Otter also but the Beaver was my favorite.

[@joesmith3501]

3rd time I’ve watched this. Loved the detail, experience and personal touches, especially the tail number.

[@ErikJohnston]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jcz232321]

Thank you for a wonderful walk-around, and tutorial on your Beaver. She is beautiful.

[@PatriotCody]

Awesome video about the beaver. I learned so much from this. Thanks

[@spicemanmartin3563]

Hello, I was in Vietnam in December of 1961 and was a crew chief on an ARMY L20 beaver that we installed with floats.....tail number 06833. My name is Ed Martin, I am now living in Florida. I am now 76 years old and enjoying everyday. I remember the days when I flew with the crew around Vietnam 🇻🇳 and have a lot of stories to tell about flying around the Saigon river for general Still Well. Unfortunately this airplane was shot down into the Saigon river one time when I was not on board, I would love to hear from anyone who was in Vietnam around that time frame. Looking forward to hearing from everyone with pictures and information, thanks everybody. -Ed Martin senior, Palm Coast Florida

[@sohanmaharjan601]

Nice history

[@russell461]

Thank you for your service sir !

[@petemiller519]

Super video. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful plane, love your hanger. Cheers.

[@deandanielson8074]

Russell, an excellent and comprehensive walk-around on a beautiful Beaver. I was an instructor pilot in U.S. Army Aviation and taught students in C Phase -- Instruments. Yes, at the time, the Beaver waw the aircraft to teach and get Army Aviators their Instrument ticket. We had the fuel tanks in the wings for a total of 135 gallons but this total did not give you much leeway for flight to destination plus alternative plus 45 minutes. Because the U.S. Army was the biggest customer for the Beaver, most beautifully painted Beavers on floats where Olive Drab Wheeled Beavers converted. I enjoy your channel and wish you well. I can see your Beaver is in good, loving hands. - Dean from Minnesota

[@falconeaterf15]

Great video! Thanks for taking the time. Nice hangar too.

[@ArcticRider11]

These are my favorite airplane. I hear them fly over my house daily. The 985 is one of my favorite sounding engines.

[@vetric2]

I was a crew chief on a Beaver in 1969 in Uijeongbu S Korea.🙂🙂 The army base I was stationed at had six of them. Mine was tail number 846

[@stefanwerner8679]

Great Video! Thanks for sharing.

[@pauld5530]

Thanks Russel! And Thanks for the video of the engine start up! Its now my ringtone on my phone

[@MJLeger-yj1ww]

Very good video -- the Beaver is a very strong, substantial aircraft -- I'd trust it any day, in almost every situation! And this man sure knows this aircraft! I've always liked radial engines since I first flew in a Stearman a lot of years ago. I like a 3-blade prop, the belly fuel tanks, and the other attributes of this aircraft. Good little bird!

[@Sometungsten]

Excellent presentation!

[@marcusrussell8660]

Thank you, a wonderful plane you have there.

[@larrygrabarek1831]

Very good walkthrough - Thanks!

[@zimzim2160]

Thank you sir. Excellent video. Have worked with more than one pilot who dreamt of retirement up North in a beaver such as yours. Love it myself.

[@pattimarshall7270]

I knew nothing about Alaska bush planes and pilots but I was writing a story and I wanted one in it so I started researching. As soon as I saw this kind of plane I knew this was the one my character would have so I learned more. The story is long finished (not published) but I'm still fascinated with this plane and the people who love them. And today I happened upon your video and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish I'd found you when I was first doing my research.

[@clear_destination]

Mr . Russell , excellent video . The Beaver has many design features that make it an excellent aircraft . Also built in Canada was the C-64 Norseman , UC-64 the American designation . The Norseman was designed by Robert Noorduyn in the mid '30"s and was quickly adopted by the USAAF during WW II . The Norseman was a true workhorse and was also helpful in opening the north . Red Lake , Ontario is the Norseman capital of the world .

[@baggypantstoo]

I have a friend who is an airframe inspector at Viking , I'm at the airport daily . Great video

[@IrishManJT]

Thanks. Excellent walkaround.

[@Enzi_Meteori_902]

The beaver has gotta be my favourite General aviation aircraft of all time. It looks so cool both as a land and seaplane. I'm looking forward to try to get one for myself.

[@cemigh]

What a great education on this fine airplane. Love the part about finding the check pilot. Have been to Victoria many times and love to watching them taking off and landing.

[@timothygodwin7049]

Great Video. One of the coolest planes around no matter the landing gear on them. Thanks for sharing this.

[@ignazsergemalle8614]

Mr. Franklin That DHC3 had Shvetzov 1000 Hp Canadian mode on it some DHC2 Beavers had Shv 600 Hp ..cheers

[@DuffyNightingale]

Really enjoyed this as we are old Puget Sound/San Juan Island boaters and we have been watching the Kenmore Air Beavers flying around same area for forty years! One time near Blakey Island a new pilot with instructor on board ran a brand new Beaver into a solid rock section of Obstruction Island. We hustled over in our boats to the rescue but people had already helped them out of plane and they were OK! This was around 1994 NOT a Kenmore Air. Kenmore Air has a great reputation for safety.

[@simoncorporation3]

Good workaround, thanks for the upload.

[@pugle1]

Great American tutorial on a great Canadian aircraft. Thanks so much for posting. I enjoyed that thoroughly. I'm a huge Dehavilland fan. Love anything to do with Beavers, turbo Beavers and Otters.

[@johnmartlew5897]

OMG....I love the sound. Living on the BC coast I hear them all the time. Never gets old. I get goose bumps hearing them. Because of that sound, and as a rider, I call them the Harley Davidson of the Sky. Thank you for taking care of one of our Canadian icons. She’s in good hands.

[@garyfeltus9801]

That was totally awesome. Loved it. Thanks for sharing the details on that plane.

[@javierbiaggi3072]

Thank for the tour! Very interesting and entertaining walk. When I was studying photogrametry the professor took us to meet the airplane where all the aerial photos were taken for the Department of Transpotation of Puerto Rico and it was a Beaver. He loves that aircraft and refers to it as our "work horse" and that it was great for aerial photos due to its stability. Later I could a test to that because I did all the QC of aerial photos of the Department of Natural Resourses and the DOT were the least drift from the center of flight line and the least skews.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

In May of 2000 a friend invited me along with his family to go on a Canadian fishing trip for a week. There were 6 of us, with all our fishing gear plus all our bait, cold weather clothes and sleeping bags/blankets, enough beer (a bunch) to last 6 freed domestics the whole week, couple of chainsaws plus fuel for firewood, and a variety of other items (the Co. supplied the food), crossed the border at International falls Minn (Ft. Pierce I Think), there in the water was a Beaver on floats, I thought we'd have 2 trips, we all got on-board with all our stuff piled to the roof, I'm thinking this plane's never getting out of the water but it did, flew us out in the middle of no-where dropped us off and returned a week later.

[@218philip]

Titus Tucker: Fort Frances Ont. I watch (listen) to Beavers, Otters and Carravan’s coming and going from dawn to dusk whenever the ice is gone from Ranier Minnesota just across Sand Bay of Rainy Lake. Rusty Meyers flight service also flys a twin Beechcraft all perfectly polished, it is a thunderous beauty. Some years ago some friends would have a lobster boil on Sand Point Island the second Saturday of July. A few of Rusty’s pilots would bring the live lobsters up to us with the Twin Beech buzzing the island coming and going, something you’ll never forget. In our peak year we boiled 300 lobsters (sweet corn, fried potatoes, cole slaw and lots of butter). After 9-11 things became more complicated with crossing the border and sadly ended after 11 memorable yr’s. One of the early partners (Vern Jones) kept his beaver, serial # 3 . Back in the day it was strictly a compass and knowing the terrain, those pilots needed a beaver just to carry their balls. These details are to the best of my recollections.

[@jimgroves7981]

I love the Beaver! It's one of favorite civilian birds. That was a great walk around. From one Texas boy to another....thanks for making and posting this video. AWESOME!

[@Bill23799]

Thank you for the very interestsing video about the Beaver.

[@victor-emmanuel7485]

Fantastic Erik! Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to one day fly myself

[@Bubbalass]

Really cool and informative overview! Enjoyed your explanations-thank you!

[@brinkee7674]

Great video and the best walk around I've seen on a Beaver. Lovely plane. Best luck to you as you look after this pickup with wings so it can be passed on to another lucky person to look after it. Take good care of her and she'll take good care of you

[@miketaboo7579]

Beavers and otters seem to be highly coveted craft. Working at Aerorecip I've had thousands of 985,1340 & 1830s go through my hands...probably those ones too. Thanks for the great vid

[@calummacfarlane8476]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@oregontrails]

Great informative video. I liked the narrative about the N number.

[@peterlehman8448]

Thank you for a wonderful and thoughtful description. I am impressed with your humility. Glad that one of our Canadian planes has a home somewhere warmer. ;-)

[@yams900]

Tack Erik ! Another good video, I've started flying the Beaver in FS2020 :)

[@charlesbishop7583]

Perfect video and perfect walk-a-round. Thank you for sharing. I have always liked theDe Havilland series of aircraft and this just boosts my reason for why, I find, this is a finely engineered and well made aircraft.

[@mindlab780ab6]

You are very lucky to own one , sir . Thank you for sharing

[@conradsenior5843]

Well done Erik. This will hit a million views eventually. 5 Star.

[@JohnLee-ru6sz]

Thank you for a very good presentation & history. Congratulations with your fantastic DH Beaver and with the greatest respect to your father. I fly a rc scale DH Beaver ws 2.45m with a SAITO FG 60cc R3 w.Kelko exhaust ring as gives almost the fantastic full size Beaver sound Also on skies and floats. Both full size and rc scale gives fantastic nature adventures. We must keep then flying! Thank you so much. Best regards, John Lee (66 years rc builder and pilit for 55 yeras Norway/Colombia. PS I really enjoy your fantastic videos. Thank you.

[@DavidBruner_NJ]

Very nice and well done. Now I really want to fly one!!

[@TheDarwiniser]

chugging around behind a radial like that would be heaven..... heaven, but loud heaven.

[@Magnusflug]

Nice video, well explained, and nice Beaver

[@oc2phish07]

I worked on these back in the 1960s as an army aircraft technician here in the UK and in Germany. Nice aircraft. Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engine. Nice video that brought back some great memories.

[@DougHanchard]

The reason the pitot tube was so long and extended, was to avoid any possible prop wash induced debris, ice, freezing rain, snow or water from entering it during take off and landing. This one is in very nice condition. I miss flying these up and down the Strait of Georgia in the PNW back in the 80's. You have a very beautifully restored model. Victoria Air have rebuilt more than a few DH-2's. Viking Air offers excellent parts service and you won't be disappointed in the quality of any of the components. I hope you have many years of enjoyable trips in your Beaver. Have a nice flight!

[@beech18]

wow, that was so interesting. lovely.

[@PyChip]

Nice Beaver

[@AdamSmith-tk5br]

Chip Py - Leslie Nielsen is a legend

[@ferncabral1661]

Yeah nothing better than a nice beaver fur sure ....

[@zapfanzapfan]

Thanks, I just had it stuffed ;-)

[@flybyairplane3528]

I only found this on 8/28/17 you have a great aircraft there sir, great flying to you, asI really appreciated the walk around., tally ho 1

[@woodbutcher505]

Nice aircraft, was Crew Chief on one of these... I sort of got the basics of flying one of these when I was stationed in the South Pacific on Eniwetok Atoll.. The Pilot would pull the pin and flip the control over to me. Came back to the USA and later went on to get my Private license.

[@BOMBOVA]

what a nice video, spent my youth in the canadian arctic, so i have been in one, great bush plane

[@310McQueen]

Enjoyed the in-depth tour of the Beaver. Nice aircraft.

[@richardscovell6620]

Superb video, thank you...really enjoyed your tour of a superb aircraft

[@j2b261]

Wow, Russell, You have that plane fixed up so beautirfully it looks like it just rolled off the factory floor, Yes, there's no plane quite like a Beaver. One got us out of York Factory when we were stranded up there. I had to sit on the floor but I was just glad to be in the air on the way out of there.

[@frankus54]

Great video and very informative. Thanks

[@miramarensis]

Outstanding video. Congratulations on owning such a beautiful bird. Enjoy it!

[@jameswieser483]

Great walk-around of a great plane. It’s hard to believe the plane was designed in the mid 40’s. The modifications to the windows and doors look like they were part of the original design. It’s easy to see that this plane is one of your favorites and I agree, it is special. Keep the videos coming, love them.

[@ProfSimonHolland]

Wonderful...thank you

[@dennisstolte1103]

One of my most informative you tube videos. Thank you!

[@ErikJohnston]

Glad you liked it!!

[@Spitzer23]

Awesome video :D Thanks for posting

[@tcon1479]

Absolute great showing of the greatest GA airplane of all time! I dream of someday getting to fly one of these legendary planes! Great video

[@sylvainapril4633]

Fine tour of a Beaver. Thanks

[@Coralita675]

Thank you for sharing.

[@humnpwr]

Very nice video, thanks for the tour

[@donaldharrison3031]

What a great video, of a great aircraft by obviously a great guy. Well done

[@collinfraser1218]

Very well done Russel (Erik), I never flew a beaver on wheels, so enjoyed your sharing this well loved Beaver on wheels. I brought your Texas built Cessna 185 dirt plane built for the desert to fly on floats like a boat between our Inlets and lakes. My DeHavilland friends called mine the "Spam Can", but they never seemed to mind choosing it to save some fuel ! You took our Canadian boat to fly in and out of pavement and dirt ! I miss mine almost every day since I got old and she sold back to your side of that imaginary line your leader is obsessed with. Enjoy, but when your done send her home. Fair Trade ?

[@rpm1796]

Great Cover Russ & EJ...for a truly Great Bird.🌄